


Jealous

by Rosetylars



Series: Cricverse [30]
Category: Cricket RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Jealousy, Light Angst, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:33:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27417325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosetylars/pseuds/Rosetylars
Summary: Glenn seems to be getting very friendly with Neesh... and Aaron still hasn't forgotten what happened, that one IPL, with Miller.
Relationships: Aaron Finch/Glenn Maxwell
Series: Cricverse [30]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755766
Comments: 16
Kudos: 15





	Jealous

**Author's Note:**

> IPL (in the UAE), October 2020
> 
> ***  
> Follows "Champagne and lost sleep" but can be read on its own 😊

It had been a tough IPL, and to be honest, Aaron was ready for it to be over, especially after being dropped.

At the beginning of the season, the prospect of two games against Glenn’s King’s XI Punjab was a good incentive to push through the fixture.

The first time, they were both worried about all of the new protocols and rules. Their first encounter had been on the field, during the pre-match warm up. It was the first time they had seen each other since arriving in the UAE, weeks prior.

Aaron’s heart leapt as soon as he saw his boyfriend. He just wanted to kiss Glenn, but given where they were, they settled for a warm, lingering hug.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Aaron mumbled into Glenn’s collar, pecking the skin of his neck before releasing him.

“Missed you more,” Glenn replied. “You look sexy. I love this,” he said quietly, brushing a few of his fingertips against Aaron’s stubble.

Aaron flushed, ducking his head, pleased. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Glenn agreed, with a glittering smile. “Come on, we’ve gotta warm up so you don’t ping a calf,” he teased.

“Are you calling me old, Glenn James?” Aaron asked playfully.

Glenn laughed, and the sound warmed Aaron’s heart. He’d missed that, so much. Phone calls weren’t the same.

“You said it, not me,” Glenn replied, hands up in a show of innocence.

Aaron grinned, feeling the tension melt out of his shoulders just from Glenn’s proximity.

“Good luck,” Glenn winked, patting Aaron on the bum as he headed to warm up.

*

After the match, they made sure they were alone before sneaking away, heading into a bathroom cubicle, and finally sharing their first kiss in weeks. Aaron perched on the shut toilet, and Glenn settled in his lap, putting a hand either side of Aaron’s face. Aaron wrapped his arms around Glenn’s waist, holding him close, enjoying having Glenn pressed up against him again, at last.

When they separated for air, Glenn chuckled softly to himself.

“What’s funny?” Aaron asked softly, lovingly shifting a longer chunk of Glenn’s hair behind his ear.

“Just remembered that I thought we’d leave kissing in bathrooms behind, when we left our twenties,” Glenn mused, laughing softly.

Aaron huffed a laugh, burying his head in the crook of Glenn’s shoulder. He pressed soft kisses to Glenn’s skin, breathing in his familiar scent.

“I’ll never get tired of kissing you in toilets,” Aaron deadpanned, sitting back. “Though it’d be nicer to do it in the locker room, like we do at home.”

Glenn waggled his eyebrows at the innuendo, making Aaron roll his eyes fondly.

“You know I only meant kissing.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Glenn agreed. “Except for that one Shield rain delay, when everyone was in the lunch room and we-“

Aaron put his hand over Glenn’s mouth urgently, making Glenn laugh.

“Don’t be naughty,” Aaron chastised, removing his hand to peck Glenn on the lips. “Especially when I don’t get to take you home.”

Glenn sighed, at that, face falling.

It was going to be tough saying goodbye again.

***

It was late October. They hadn’t seen each other for a couple of weeks, and Aaron was feeling burnt out.

And then his mind started to go to places it usually didn’t, these days.

He knew Maxi was a warm, friendly, tactile person. That trait was one of the things that had drawn Aaron to him in the first place, over a decade ago.

But that was also what had nearly broken Aaron, during the 2016 IPL, when they had split up prior to the tournament... and then Glenn had had a fling with David Miller.

When Aaron was thinking with a clear mind, he knew things were so different now. He and Glenn were comfortable in their relationship - they had been solidly back together since the end of January (and before that, had been a very gentle separation.)

But when Aaron was laying in bed alone, his body aching after a training session, ahead of a match he knew he wasn’t going to be selected for, his mind wasn’t seeing things so clearly.

Since the beginning of the IPL bubble, there had been several pictures and videos uploaded of Glenn and Jimmy Neesham. At first, Aaron was happy to see Glenn enjoying himself and having fun. But then, those thoughts about Miller came creeping back into his head.

Aaron made the mistake of opening Instagram, approaching midnight.

At the very top of his feed was a photo of Glenn and Neesh, laughing and playing in the ocean.

Aaron’s stomach dropped.

Glenn looked so happy. He was wet and shirtless, but Aaron couldn’t even appreciate the gorgeous sight, because Neesh was looking at him, grinning.

If Aaron were being rational, he would’ve seen two friends enjoying a swim. But this was the latest in a long string of similar photos of the two of them laughing, cuddling, or playing around.

Aaron felt sick.

He turned his phone off immediately, shoving it face down on his bedside table.

*

Aaron woke up to a missed call from Zamps - his teammate this IPL - which surprised him.

He called him back as soon as he saw the notification.

Adam answered immediately.

“Aaron James, what the fuck have you done?” Adam asked.

Aaron blinked, still half asleep. “Wait, what?”

Adam huffed. “Glenn was texting me late last night, saying you didn’t text him goodnight, and that something was definitely wrong,” he explained. "He told me not to talk to you about it, and just to suss it out, but I figured I'd save you both a couple of hours of passive aggressive bullshit."

Aaron groaned, rubbing his eyes. He had been so worried about Glenn and Neesh that he had neglected to send Glenn a simple goodnight message, last night.

“Aaron? What happened?” Adam pushed.

“I... this is gonna sound stupid,” Aaron admitted.

“I’m listening,” Adam replied gently.

Aaron sighed. “I’m... worried. About him and Neesh. Because of what happened with Miller a few years ago,” he admitted.

Adam hummed thoughtfully. “Yeah, Marc told me about that a while back,” he said gently. “I get it, Finchy. But you boys have grown a lot since then,” he reminded. “You were talking about engagement at Pat and Mitch’s wedding, right?”

Aaron’s heart warmed at the thought. He had been considering proposing to Glenn for a long time, before this tournament.

“Yeah,” Aaron murmured. “But what if he realises he’s tired of me?”

Adam huffed a soft laugh. “Mate. If he’s still around after however many years-“

“Nearly eleven,” Aaron cut in.

“- then he obviously isn’t tired of you, and he’s never going to be.”

Aaron considered this. “But what about all the pictures of them hanging out in the pool and stuff?”

Adam paused. “Aaron, you and I hang out in the pool at this hotel,” he reminded. “They just don’t post pictures of us because we’re ugly,” Adam teased.

Aaron laughed, at that, before he realised the truth to Adam’s words. How was what they did, any different to what Maxi was up to with his own teammates?

“You’re right,” Aaron admitted. “Maybe I’m overthinking it because of what happened.”

Adam hummed with agreement. “I get it. Being apart probably doesn’t help. When was your last sleepover?”

“Sleepover?” Aaron asked, confused.

“Marc and I sneak into each other’s hotels like… once a week, minimum,” Adam replied.

Aaron blinked. Sure, he’d considered it, but the virus protocols were strict, and it wasn’t worth getting caught when there was so much at stake for them to be there.

“How?”

Adam hummed thoughtfully. “I just say I’m going for a short walk, which isn’t a lie… it’s a short walk to Marc’s hotel,” he chuckled.

That piqued Aaron’s interests. “You haven’t been caught?”

Adam chuckled. “No, mate. It’s no big deal,” he assured. “Mitch stayed with Pat for a few nights before he went home, too. Just see him, Finchy. I promise, it’ll get rid of all those worries straight away.”

*

Adam’s words stayed with Aaron for a while, and soon, he was calling Glenn, suggesting they meet up. Glenn was rapt with the idea, and the plan was set - Aaron was going to head over that night, after their team dinner was finished.

Aaron wouldn’t say he ran between their hotels, but he certainly walked with purpose. Glenn buzzed him up in the lift, and finally, finally, they were together, alone.

Aaron made sure the door clunked shut behind him before dropping his bag on the ground, wrapping Glenn up in a tight hug, kissing him, hard.

Glenn grinned, a hand on either side of Aaron’s face as they kissed.

“And here I was thinking you were mad at me, last night,” Glenn mused.

Aaron chuckled uncomfortably. “That was my bad. I got in my head about a few things.”

Maxi searched his face, but decided against pushing the topic, electing instead to kiss him again. “Well, you’re here now. Let’s get you out of that head, Finchy.”

Aaron liked the sound of that.

*

They spent a little while getting reacquainted, and by the time they were snuggling in bed afterwards, Aaron had practically forgotten all of the worries that had filled his head, last night, and for the weeks before that.

Glenn hadn’t. He was playing with Aaron’s fingers, contemplative. “What’s been on your mind? You haven’t been yourself the last few days.” The words weren’t accusatory, just concerned.

Aaron sighed, grimacing. “Can’t we just enjoy tonight?”

“We can’t just gloss over it. I’m worried about you,” Glenn said gently.

“It seems stupid now that I think about it,” Aaron mumbled, bringing his spare hand up to tangle in Glenn’s long hair.

Glenn shrugged. “Then let’s have a laugh about it,” he suggested.

Aaron knew he wasn’t getting out of this without explaining how he’d been feeling. Glenn had been concerned enough to put Adam on Aaron’s case, after all.

“I had some… bad thoughts. About you and Neesh,” Aaron mumbled.

Glenn’s face fell. “No, baby, it’s not like that at all,” he said gently.

Aaron nodded slightly, but he couldn’t help the words that tumbled from his lips. “That’s what you said about Miller,” he murmured.

Glenn froze, shocked. “Aaron James,” he whispered. “Baby. I wasn’t myself, back then. We’ve both grown so much. I nearly lost you, over that, and that thought makes me sick,” he said gently.

Aaron met Glenn’s eyes. Glenn looked worried, upset that he’d worried Aaron.

“I love you more than anything. I want to marry you, Aaron. Neesh is a good friend, he’s fun to be around. He’s made this tournament a lot more enjoyable. But he’s not you,” Glenn said gently.

Aaron melted. “You want to marry me?”

“Is this a proposal?” Glenn teased.

Aaron rolled his eyes, poking Glenn’s bony ribs. “No way. I’d never propose when we’re naked and sweaty. This was meant to be a heart to heart,” he teased.

Glenn laughed, dropping his forehead to Aaron’s chest. “I mean it, though. When I’m with Neesh, I spend three quarters of the time talking about you, anyway,” he admitted.

Aaron’s heart warmed. Adam was so right. They had needed this night together so much.

*

Later that night, Aaron fell asleep with a clear mind, for the first time since they had left their hotel room in the UK. Glenn was curled up in his arms, and finally, Aaron felt at home again, despite being halfway across the world.


End file.
